stars upon my face

chapter 22-but yet again

I poured another round of whiskey for the rowdy group of regulars at the bar, trying to shake off the lingering anxiety from my job interview.

It was a typical Friday night, with the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses filling the air. But my mind was elsewhere, replaying the conversation I had just had with the interviewer.

Just as I was about to take another order, my phone rang, shrill and insistent.

I hesitated for a moment before reaching into my pocket and pulling it out. The screen read "James" .

I answered the call, trying to make out what he was saying over the din of the bar. "What's up, man?" I asked.

But it wasn't James' voice on the other end. It was a low, gravelly voice that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Nora," it said. "Long time no see."

I felt my heart sink as I recognized the voice. It was Edgar - the man who I had escaped from who had taken my life away from me .

"What do you want, Edgar?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Oh, I just wanted to catch up," he said, his tone dripping with menace. "You know, see how you're doing."

I felt a wave of panic wash over me. How did he even know where I was? And what did he want from me?

"I'm fine," I said, trying to keep my tone firm. "Leave me alone."

Edgar laughed, a low, menacing sound. "Oh, Nora," he said. "You're not going to be able to leave me alone so easily. You see, we have some... unfinished business."

I felt a cold dread creeping up my spine as I realized that Edgar was still out there, still obsessed with me. And I knew that I had to get out of there - fast.

I quickly ended the call and turned to James, who was standing next to me with a worried expression on his face. "What's wrong?" he asked.

I took a deep breath before telling him about Edgar's call. James' eyes narrowed in anger as he listened to my story.

"We need to get you out of here," he said. "Now."

And with that, we made our way out of the bar, leaving the darkness of Edgar's presence behind us.I quickly grabbed my purse and followed James out of the bar,

trying to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over me. We didn't say a word as we walked down the street, the cool night air a welcome relief from the stifling atmosphere of the bar.

But as we approached my apartment , James reached out and grabbed my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

"Hey, Nora, can you tell me what's going on?" he asked, his eyes searching mine.

I hesitated for a moment before launching into the story. I told him how I was haunted by Edgar's shadow.

I told him about how I had to maintain not seeing him again, but I never saw him again until now.

James' expression was grim as he listened to my story. He didn't say anything for a moment, just nodded slowly as he processed what I was telling him.

"So, what did he want?" he asked finally.

I shrugged. "I don't know," I said. "He just wanted to talk, I guess."

James raised an eyebrow. "Talk? What did he say?"

I hesitated again before speaking. "He said we had unfinished business," I said quietly.

James' expression turned dark. "What kind of unfinished business?" he growled.

I shook my head. "I don't know," I said again. "But I don't want to find out."

James nodded, his eyes still locked on mine. "We'll get you out of here," he said. "I won't let him bother you again."

I felt a surge of gratitude towards James as he led me into my apartment building. We didn't say anything else as we walked up the stairs, but I could sense that he wanted to keep me safe.

As we reached my apartment door, James turned to me with a serious expression.

"Nora, listen," he said. "You're going to stay with me tonight. You're not going anywhere alone until we figure out what's going on."

I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.

It was strange to think about living with someone else, but right now, it was exactly what I needed.

"Okay," I said quietly.

James nodded and opened the door, gesturing for me to go inside. As we entered my apartment, I felt safe knowing that I had James by my side.

I was finally going to be able to rest easy knowing that James was watching over me.

But as we settled onto the couch, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Edgar was still out there, watching and waiting for his chance to strike again.

As we settled into my apartment, James took charge, making sure I was comfortable and safe. He helped me change into some fresh clothes, and then surprised me as he gripped my hand , holding it tightly.

"You're going to sleep in my house tonight," he said, his voice firm but gentle.

I nodded, feeling relived and happy when he uttered those words.We left my apartment behind and headed to James' place, a cozy little house on the outskirts of town.

As we walked in, I was struck by the warmth and comfort of the space. It was like walking into a hug.

James showed me to his bedroom, and helped me get into the pajamas. He handed me a glass of water and told me to get some rest.

I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and I welcomed the chance to curl up in bed and let my thoughts drift away.

As I settled into the soft bed, James came over to give me a gentle hug. "You're safe now," he whispered. "I'll be right here if you need anything."

I nodded, feeling at peace wash over me. I knew that I could trust James to keep me safe from Edgar's grasp.

As I drifted off to sleep, I was vaguely aware of James settling onto the couch in the living room. He had given up his own bed for me, and I felt a surge of gratitude towards him.

As I slept, I was plagued by dreams of Edgar's menacing face, his cold eyes staring into mine.

But whenever I woke up with a start, I felt James' presence beside me, watching over me with a fierce protectiveness.

It was a strange kind of comfort, knowing that someone was looking out for me like that.

But as the night wore on, I began to feel a sense of peace seep back into my bones. I knew that as long as James was there, I was safe.

And when the sun began to rise outside, casting its golden light over the room, I knew that I had finally found a place where I could rest easily knowing that there's someone's who is protecting me.